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355 THE CHOICE OF HERACLES 355

by taking another into your counsel that you arrive at the secret of his wisdom. If, on like principle, you will but make trial of the gods by acts of service, whether they will choose to give you counsel in mat- ters obscure to mortal vision, you shall discover the nature and the greatness of Godhead to be such that they are able at once to see all things, and to hear all things, and to be present everywhere, nor does the least thing escape their watchful care.

To my mind the effect of words like these was to cause those about him to hold aloof from unholiness, baseness, and injustice, not only whilst they were seen of men, but even in the solitary place, since they must believe that no part of their conduct could escape the eye of Heaven.

THE CHOICE OF HERACLES

A STORY OF PRODICUS OF CEOS

From the Memorabilia, Book Π. i. §§ 22-34.

" When Heracles was emerging from boyhood into the bloom of youth, having reached that season in which the young man, now standing upon the verge of independence, shows plainly whether he will enter upon the path of virtue or of vice, he went forth into a quiet place, and sat debating with himself which of those two paths he should pursue ; and as he sat there musing, there appeared to him two women of great stature, which drew nigh to him. The one was fair to look upon, frank and free by gift of nature, her limbs adorned with purity and her eyes with bashful- ness ; sobriety set the rhythm of her gait, and she was clad in white apparel. The other was of a differ- ent type ; the fleshy softness of her limbs betrayed